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Apps and Platforms to be aware of

A few names come up often in advice from safeguarding professionals at the moment:

• Discord — a chat app originally built for gamers, now used much more widely; it allows direct messaging with people outside a child’s real-life circle.
• Wizz and Yubo — sometimes described as “swiping” apps for teens, designed around meeting new people, which brings the same risks as dating apps.

If your child uses any chat or gaming app, it’s worth having a look at who they can be contacted by, and whether that can be restricted to known friends only.

AI Chatbots – a Fast-Growing Area

More children are now chatting with AI tools (including “companion” chatbots) for company, help with homework, or just curiosity. The NSPCC’s advice for parents includes:

• Explore the apps your child uses together, so you know where AI shows up.
• Talk about the fact that AI can sound confident while being wrong — encourage a healthy bit of scepticism.
• Remind children that an AI chatbot is not a trusted adult, and personal worries or information should go to a real person.
• Agree together what AI is and isn’t okay to be used for (e.g. homework help, not pretending to be a friend).